Rain
by materia
Summary: Rain is an explanation of what might occur after Advent Children. It is a history of the possible relationship Yazoo and Kadaj. Warning: This story may contain male to male references and encounters.
1. Reign of Twilight

Chapter 1: Reign of Twilight

Fingertips shining with blood and near death, Yazoo had managed to narrowly escape the treacherous blast that shook the mountains of sienna. His hands grasped the painfully sharp rocks as he climbed almost lifelessly down the sloping ledge. Slipping, he grabbed for the peak of the solid pile and missed, falling several feet into the gorge down below where the rain rested silently. Why had Kadaj fallen? Would Mother not protect them from harm? He was starting to believe that his faith had all been for nothing. Maybe his forbidden relationship with Kadaj had finally caught up with them and Mother disapproved.

The creamy array of colors offered so willingly by the twilight danced about his skin, setting off his livid, floral eyes beneath the tainted, silver locks. Only an eternity 'til morning. He could wait. His eyes fluttering shut, he dreamed of rain and leather.


	2. All This Nonsense

Chapter 2: All This Nonsense

_I heard .. ill. I see. When will .. be ava..le? Ah, I see. Well, .. sure to inform .. condition._

Cloud's head was full of everything but comfort after his encounter with his Sephiroth. He could hardly hear what they were saying about him. Everything seemed to be going by too quickly. The days melted into one another making life seem like one continuous dream. He often wondered why he was the chief topic of conversation. Couldn't they talk about something normal? The door flung open and slammed against the back wall. Cloud bolted upright.

"Rise and shine princess! Let's move it!" Barret flung his black, leather weapons case on a wooden stool and stomped over to where Cloud had lain back down, his arms supported his reclining figure. The sun hadn't fully risen yet. "Get up! We've got work to do. All you've been doing is lazing around the place and Tifa's been workin' her ass off down in the front."

"Alright," was all he said before completely sitting up. He slung his legs over the side of the bed, his body feeling a little heavy. Barret, content with Cloud's reaction, grabbed his belongings and made his way out being sure to leave the door wide open so Cloud would have to walk over and shut it at the very least.

Cloud pulled on a pair of heavy boots and leaned on his knees, thinking aimlessly on a non-existent topic. He dressed himself quickly after he had closed the door. Descending the stairs with great force, he arrived in the main area of the bar.

"Cloud! You're awake!" Marlene smiled happily and threw her arms around his waist as he approached. Cloud gave her a half-hearted pat as he continued walking to where Tifa stood cleaning the counters.

Her apron is tied so tightly he thought. How can she breathe with it like that? It's maroon too. I thought she hated that color. Its designer must've been extremely bored when he made it because Cloud couldn't tell one flower from the next. Cloud.

..Cloud

"Cloud!" Tifa's eyes straining slightly from worry, she stared intently at him from behind the table. He did not snap his head in her direction but merely turned it slowly as if trying to pull attention away from a deep thought.

"Hm?"

"What's up with you today?" She moved the bell-cupped glasses to a compartment under the counter.

Cloud collapsed into the nearest chair. "Nothing."

"I need you to go down to the town square. Denzel and Marlene need their new clothes from the market and I've arranged to have them available for pick up. And in case you're wondering, I'm going down to the church. Someone keeps re-arranging my flowers."

"More like defiling." Vincent crossed his arms as he entered and halted in front of Cloud's drifting figure. "I've not been able to discover the culprit as I've been away. I'll make my way there tonight."

Cloud trailed remaining dishwater on the table as they spoke distantly, staring at the liquid that distorted his reflection.


	3. Forbidden Daffodils

Chapter 3: Forbidden Daffodils

Someone was straightening a quilt about his worn body. Yazoo's eyes flashed open in an instant. Back at him stared the eyes of a very young woman. He tried to sit up but found that his muscles were too sore to do so. She watched his quiet struggle

"Where am I?"

Still the girl did not reply. She seemed to be lost for words and curiously eyeing his features.

"Who are you?" he said after a long silence, obviously perplexed by her silence. Not expecting an answer, he was slightly surprised when she said, "Rachel." Rachel fidgeted with her light yellow skirt piece. "My name is Rachel and you're in my house. I live near the ruins. I found you lying in a ditch and didn't want you to catch a cold. It was raining." This all came out at once. If Yazoo was certain of nothing else it was that she could indeed carry on quite a lighted conversation with herself if only given a single match. Also, the fact that she had said nothing of his wounds worried him considerably. Hopefully her seemingly secluded life in the country hadn't taught her to be ignorant of emergencies.

Rachel stood abruptly and scooted off to what looked like a wooden wash barrel. It was then that Yazoo noticed her full appearance. She was definitely shorter than he, her dress only going down to just above her ankles. The antique white, sleeveless top attached to the billowing skirt was low and wrapped around her subtle breasts, the only thing covering them another garment of ivory lace underneath. A strip of baby maze embraced the lower part of the dress, blending softly with the spring moss of the daffodil stems which reached for some place higher. She was very attractive for her age. Auburn wisps curled about her peach petal skin as she dipped a rag into the steaming water.

"Do you live here alone?" Yazoo asked, still quite occupied with thoughts of Kadaj and how it might be possible to return him from the lifestream. Surely there was always a way to fix things.

"My mother died a few days ago." She replied nonchalantly as if it had not affected her. Yazoo only continued to think of questions that might better his situation. Perhaps he could live here until he regained his health. He pondered the girl's death but eventually decided against it unless something pressing arose.

"Would you like some soup?"

Yazoo shook his head, stirring a slight headache. As he was very good at pretending to be courteously inclined, he tended to get more out of strangers than Kadaj or Loz ever did. Rachel walked to the small, mahogany bed where he lay and placed a damp cloth on his forehead. She then walked to the window and opened it. Many yellow daffodils whirled about the room as the wind blew restlessly from outside.

"It's windy," she said, after standing unmoving in front of the great flower storm for a few seconds. Yazoo thought she was being quite obvious, but noticed a look of content color her face a light shade of pink, a healthy color. She shut the window after a few seconds more and simply stood there.

She heard nothing.


End file.
